Awakening
by samanddan
Summary: When Melanie wakes up. All in her percpective. Please RxR, thanks. One-fic.


_Ugh. Wanda? Wanda are you still here? _I called out in my head. I wanted to hear her and see where she was taking us. I listened for a while but there was total silence. Had I erased her, instead of her erasing me? _Wanda? C'mon this isn't funny; answer me. _Again there was silence. I saw what she saw—total darkness. But we were used to that in the black of the caves. But this was different. Above the black was this pinkish, white light. Where were we? Under our hands we felt something very thin, and it crackled a lot too. We rubbed it gently to feel its texture, paper. It was thin paper. Had Doc even started yet? Out of a nervous habit we started to bite our nails. Wait a sec, _she_ didn't make the command…

_I _did.

_I _felt the tendons stretch over and pull on the muscle to bring my hand up to _my_ mouth. _I _felt it move under the skin. I not us. I felt everything. I told my hands to move around and feel everything and they obeyed. I felt the cotton fabric of the shirt over my stomach, the faintly rough feel it made on my finger tips. I could feel the stiff fabric of the shorts. I traveled down to the paper again. As a test I balled my fist up to feel the tension. I even heard the squeak of my skin as it pushed together.

Where were Jared, and Jamie? Did someone go get them? It felt so weird to feel so…so…isolated in my own head. I took a deep breath to let whoever was here know I was coming to. The air that came into my nostrils smelled, brown, earthy; what else was there to describe the smell of dirt? The mixture with it, its partner so to speak, was harder, distant, and maybe even slightly…fresh? I don't know; rock is also hard to describe in words. Now came a real test, could I form my own words?

"Jared," I tried to speak, it came out as a horse, deep croak like whisper. I got goose bumps hearing my voice out loud for the first time in maybe a year. Hurried footsteps stumbled up a few feet away from me.

"Mel? Baby is that you?" he called my name. I heard his love through my ears and mine only. I liked it. Warmth spread through me and good chills rippled across my back. It made me smile. I felt cautious fingers skim on my forehead and land just above my brow. I breathed in again and I smelled his scent that could not be copied. His other hand landed on the hand I moved to my mouth. I commanded it to reach up and grab his skin. Despite its rough feeling, it was still smooth and warm. Like I remembered. I lightly skimmed it, tracing the tendons that led up to the crease in his elbow, and taking a grip there. Squeezing it to adjust to his skin again; it was very hard and muscular, but the soft skin made it feel so less tense than before. My hand moved back down to his and our fingers intertwined. I didn't want to let go. The muscles around my lips moved up in a smile. A real genuine Melanie smile, not a Wanda one. I kind of missed her style, but I missed feeling Jared under my skin more. I had to admit, I was being selfish.

"Melanie? Sis, is it really you?" Jamie called. I didn't hear his slight footsteps come up next to the cot. I stifled a laugh and held out my other hand. This time I listened for his moving steps; they moved to my left side. His hands grabbed mine and held them to his face. I cupped his cheek and felt his cheekbone under the thick layers. His skin felt too dirty. When was the last time he bathed? I'd have to yell at Jared for that later. But I decided that now wasn't the time to be concerned with his bathing; it was time for a well deserved, human reunion. My hands made their way back to his and gripped on tightly. Tears were thick on my throat and some bubbled over. I was so happy to touch them with my hands and not an aliens.

Don't get me wrong, under my happiness I wanted to see Wanda. I wanted to hug her with human arms and thank her personally for being such a good sport. To cry with her, laugh with her, work with her, eat with her, to share a room with her. Jared was right.

We'd have to get her a new body.

I took another breath and decided to open _my_ eyes. I did so very slowly, or to compare it better, like sleeping beauty did when she woke up. The sun from the holes in the ceiling sparkled the right way and shone on Jared's face. Hair bleached out, sort of looking like very dark desert sand with blackish roots. His skin was sun-tanned like we remembered, glossy eyes looking at me, ready to leak with tears. A faded blue shirt draping on his chest, and brown shorts was what I could see. My eyes flickered over to my little brother, his white shirt blackish purple from the rocks, blue denim shorts just as dirty. He looked ready to cry too.

My body felt so stiff. I tried to lift my back up but the muscle wanted to lie down and unwind but I rejected. I took Jared's hand off my forehead and put it on his shoulder, dragging him into mine. I did the same with Jamie. We all shook with happiness in our warm, loving, reunion. I felt both Jared's and Jamie's tears hit my back and mine mixed in with their hair. Our joyous cries were silent.

"Welcome back babe," Jared whispered.

"I was never gone."

"I meant it as a welcome back to your body, you know, controlling it and stuff." He justified.

"Oh okay. Well in that case thanks." Chuckling after. When I opened my eyes and parted from them, I looked over to see a crouched over figure sitting against the wall, cradling something against their chest. Some of the light filtered over to them and his hair was ink black and shaggy over his eyes. His eyes were closed like he was sleeping but I knew he wasn't; the muscles were too tense over the container. I knew who he was from his hair.

"Ian…?" I asked. It sounded like I wanted to memorize his name after a first greeting, but it was also curious. His head jerked up and his eyes fluttered opened to show me those crystal blue eyes. My head recoiled only slightly at them. "Is that…is she…?"

"Yeah, keep your voice low though, I don't want to disturb her." He smiled so warmly as he spoke of my mental sister. In many other ways we were really sisters. I got up slowly and swung my legs over. They did feel a little weird to walk with at first but I ignored that and walked over to him and the cryotank. My arm peered out and my index finger pointed to it. Ian shied away from it, drawing the tank closer.

"Can I hold her?" I asked. I refused to call the tank "it" since it contained so much more than just a simple "it".

"Good luck Mel. Ian hasn't let go of Wanda since Doc slipped her out. Would get a better chance at starting a fight between two souls then getting him to let go," Jared informed me chuckling a bit.

"Melanie you should've seen her! Wanda looked so cool!" Jamie marveled jogging next to me. "She was like as long as a ribbon, shiny too, a lot of legs that fanned out on all sides."

"I remember what a soul looks like Jamie. When Wanda took that Seeker out I was watching too. I saw what she saw," I told him raising my torso back up. His smile just grew wider at this. "We need to get her a new body."

"That's what we were thinking kid," a new voice came from behind. I twisted around and saw the beholder of a pair of faded blue denim colored eyes.

"Uncle Jeb!" I screamed running over to him. I hugged him tightly and he hugged back.

"Hey there kiddo. Now, if you want to go out raiding for a new body for Wanda I suggest waitin' till it gets dark." He told me after we parted. I nodded my head and looked back over to Ian—still crouched over with Wanda in hand.

"Can I come? Please Mel?" Jamie asked tugging on my arm. I glanced back over to Jared and he nodded. I did want him to come; he had as much say as me, or Jared, or even Ian. Then I looked at Jeb.

"Do you think he'll be safe?" I asked.

"You should know this won't be his first raid. I—"

"But on the last raid his leg…" I interrupted him, my hand going straight to Jamie's hair to lightly stroke it.

"I think he will be fine. I'd be more concerned for you since this will be _your_ first raid." eyebrows meeting the folds on his forehead.

"We'll keep her in line Jeb; you have our word." Jared promised with a stupid grin. My lips pursed and I wanted to slap his shoulder. I've been on raids before, but not me personally, just me and Wanda.

"Fine, you can come Jamie." I told him still glaring at Jared.

"WOO!"

"Anybody have any request? Ian?" it felt too easy saying his name. I didn't like it. Once Wanda was in a new body we'd have to shake hands or something. My head turned back to him.

"I don't care what she looks like," he told us, still staring at the tank in his arms.

"Okay, that helps." Not being afraid to show my natural sarcasm. "We need someone young, but not too young because I know she doesn't want to be a child. Someone who has a bigger percentage of life as a soul. I don't want her to be in her mid twenties or something, then she'll feel like her life is shorter." I went on. My hands rested at my hips and Jared walked over to me to replace mine with his. He kissed my forehead gently.

"Babe, let's worry about this later. Are you hungry? Tired? Do you want to sleep?" he asked.

"Jared, I've been sleeping since Doc closed me back up. I'm well rested—I'm not tired at all, honest. And no I'm not hungry. I wish I could hold her though; seems fair since we've shared the same head for probably a year don't ya' think?" I told him. He just giggled at me. I heard Ian get up behind me and walk over.

"Ian O'Shea." He held out one hand, still cradling the tank like dear life.

"Melanie Stryder." I took it. It was cold but I guess that was from the tank.

"Finally nice to really meet you Melanie," shaking our hands firmly. I just bit my lower lip and nodded. I wish I could say the same for him but then again I didn't like it when he forcibly kissed my body that one time.

"Hey, where's Doc?" I asked. Now is when I realized it was just Jamie, Jared, Jeb, Ian, and I in the room.

"He's with Sharon," Jeb responded. Well at least he's okay with her.

"What do you want to do?" Jared asked.

"Well I know Jamie should be in school," I glared down at him. His more dropped open and eyes scrunched.

"What?"

"You need some form of education. And if Sharon gets all picky with you for being late then I suggest you get your butt over there."

"Dah fine! See you later Melanie." He said wrapping his arms around my waist, ignoring Jared's hands, in a hug. I hugged him back and watched him run off to class.

The rest of the day went by pretty fast. I got to really meet everyone and see Sharon and Aunt Maggie. I saw them both during lunch when Sharon's class was on lunch break. I already knew my way around the caves so Uncle Jeb's tour wasn't needed. But I helped out with some of the chores. Jared took us back to our room for some "us" time, that's when we found Jamie sitting on the mattress waiting for us.

"Why can't I stay with you guys?" he asked. I knew he knew the answer to that but he needed verbal conformation.

"You're old enough to know Jamie, I don't have to tell you," Jared told him, a blush under his tan. I could feel my cheeks warmer too. Jamie's head cocked to the right a little and his lips pursed. Then, as if a light bulb went off in his head, he understood and walked out.

"You could stay with Ian though," Jared called after him. He looked back and nodded. Once his footsteps were no longer echoed my muscles relaxed.

"I feel bad for kicking him out," I spoke sitting down.

"I don't. I've waited too long for you to be of age."

"Dirty perv," I commented. Then I remembered something Wanda had picked up in the last raid that she didn't tell anyone about—a small square with a circle outline in the middle. When she was back and awake I'd have to thank her so much for this. It was buried in my back pocket and I stretched to get it. I pulled it out and flashed in to his face. His face dropped and mouth popped open.

"Where'd you…?" he asked looking back at me.

"Wanda's a savior." I told him, grinning devilishly.

"In more ways than one," leaning in for the kiss. His lips touched mine and our room got hotter.

* * *

"I like her," Jared pointed out a short young woman, probably seventeen, across the way. She had wavy light blond hair, big blue gray eyes, and fair skin with a silver undertone. "She looks so fragile; it would be natural to want to protect something that fragile. Plus, with a face like that, eyes all wide and innocent, who'd be able to distrust her?"

"Yeah. I do too. What do you think Jamie? Could she be Wanda?" I asked looking at him. His eyes measured her out and then a smile grew very large on his face. He started to nod a lot.

"Very much. I like her a lot. She's so pretty; that could definitely be Wanda." His eyes looking over to me with a lot of hope; he looked so happy.

"I'll go get her," I told them standing up and put on my best soul act, remembering how Wanda spoke and acted around them before we began our trek into the desert.

* * *

"She isn't coming to Melanie, I think it's safe to say this body is, er… vacant." Doc told me after about another hour passed.

"Good, we can put Wanda in. Where's that Healer? Does she remember how to put a soul back into a body?" I asked him getting up from my crouched over seat.

"Yes she does. Trudy, do you mind going to get Candy?" he asked the woman standing at the mouth of the cave entrance.

"She's right here actually." She responded. Her head leaned around the curve and called in Candy. "It's time." She said. Why did it sound so ice like?

Candy walked in and stood next to Doc. They flipped the body over and began to cut the scar back open.

"Ian?" Doc asked. He walked over and opened the tank. A mist came out and he gently slid Wanda out and placed her in Candy's hands. She was about to place her in when I got up.

"Wait, I want to say something to her." Candy nodded at my request and I came next to her.

"Wanda, you aren't going anywhere. You are going to stay here with me, Ian, Jared and Jamie, and everybody else. Whether you like it or not. Okay, you can put her in."

AN: I figured it needed to be done. Again, I don't own any characters from "The Host", just what they did in this fanfic. Hope you guys enjoyed.


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